PBL is an approach to teaching in which students explore real-world problems and challenges. With this type of active and engaged learning, students are inspired to obtain a deeper knowledge of the subjects they're studying. Research also indicates that students are more likely to retain the knowledge gained through this approach far more readily than through traditional textbook-centered learning. In addition, students develop confidence and self-direction as they move through both team-based and independent work. Because students are evaluated on the basis of their projects, rather than on the comparatively narrow rubrics defined by exams, essays, and written reports, assessment of project-based work is often more meaningful to them. They quickly see how academic work can connect to real-life issues -- and may even be inspired to pursue a career or engage in activism that relates to the project they developed.
Project Learning: An Overview (9 minutes) from Edutopia
PBL Design
5 principles to design a PBL lesson from The Buck Institute for Education and Boise State University, Department of Educational Technology.
Principle 1 - Begin with the End in Mind 6 steps you need to think about while planning: project idea, scope of the project, standards/GLCEs, incorporate simultaneous outcomes, work from project design criteria, and create the optimal learning environment.
Principle 2 - Craft the Driving Question Once you have selected the "big idea" for the project, turn it into a problem or question that cannot be easily solved or answered. The question should be: provocative, open-ended, go to the heart of the discipline (topic), challenging, arise from real-world situations/problems that students find interesting, are consistent with standards/GLCEs.
Principle 3 - Plan the Assessment
3 steps for affective assessment: align the products with standards/GLCEs, establish criteria to assess each product and performance, create rubrics and provide for students BEFORE they start the project.
Principle 4 - Map the Project
4 steps: organize tasks and activities, decide how to launch the project, gather resources, draw a storyboard
Principle 5 - Manage the Process
4 steps: share project goals with students, use problem-solving skills, use checkpoints and milestones, plan for evaluation and reflection.
Project management forms can be downloaded here
What is Project Based Learning?
PBL is an approach to teaching in which students explore real-world problems and challenges. With this type of active and engaged learning, students are inspired to obtain a deeper knowledge of the subjects they're studying. Research also indicates that students are more likely to retain the knowledge gained through this approach far more readily than through traditional textbook-centered learning. In addition, students develop confidence and self-direction as they move through both team-based and independent work. Because students are evaluated on the basis of their projects, rather than on the comparatively narrow rubrics defined by exams, essays, and written reports, assessment of project-based work is often more meaningful to them. They quickly see how academic work can connect to real-life issues -- and may even be inspired to pursue a career or engage in activism that relates to the project they developed.Project Learning: An Overview (9 minutes) from Edutopia
PBL Research Studies from Edutopia
Examples of PBL
High Tech High ProjectsBSMS 6th grade project
Edutopia's Big List of PBL
Project Based Learning
Global SchoolNet
The Collaboratory Project
iEARN
PBL Design
5 principles to design a PBL lesson from The Buck Institute for Education and Boise State University, Department of Educational Technology.
Principle 1 - Begin with the End in Mind
6 steps you need to think about while planning: project idea, scope of the project, standards/GLCEs, incorporate simultaneous outcomes, work from project design criteria, and create the optimal learning environment.
Principle 2 - Craft the Driving Question
Once you have selected the "big idea" for the project, turn it into a problem or question that cannot be easily solved or answered. The question should be: provocative, open-ended, go to the heart of the discipline (topic), challenging, arise from real-world situations/problems that students find interesting, are consistent with standards/GLCEs.
Principle 3 - Plan the Assessment
3 steps for affective assessment: align the products with standards/GLCEs, establish criteria to assess each product and performance, create rubrics and provide for students BEFORE they start the project.
Principle 4 - Map the Project
4 steps: organize tasks and activities, decide how to launch the project, gather resources, draw a storyboard
Principle 5 - Manage the Process
4 steps: share project goals with students, use problem-solving skills, use checkpoints and milestones, plan for evaluation and reflection.
Project management forms can be downloaded here